This advanced seminar examines the international legal architecture governing climate change mitigation, adaptation, finance, and accountability. The course explores how international law attempts to regulate a global collective-action problem involving science, economics, development, and sovereignty. Students analyze treaty regimes, soft-law instruments, institutional governance, transnational litigation, and emerging climate justice frameworks.
The seminar emphasizes the tension between voluntary cooperation and binding obligations, North–South equity debates, and the enforcement limits of international environmental law. Through case studies and doctrinal analysis, students examine how climate governance intersects with trade law, human rights, investment law, and national constitutional systems.
The course treats climate law not only as environmental regulation but as a central experiment in global governance under conditions of political fragmentation and scientific urgency.
This course assumes prior study of public international law.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Explain core international climate treaties and principles.
2. Interpret mitigation and adaptation obligations.
3. Analyze institutional governance structures.
4. Evaluate climate finance frameworks.
5. Assess enforcement and compliance mechanisms.
6. Examine climate litigation strategies.
7. Understand equity and justice debates.
8. Evaluate interaction with trade and investment law.
9. Apply doctrine to emerging climate disputes.
10. Critically assess future reform pathways.
